Quirky BC's General Store in Yalaha closes after 32 years

After 32 years, nothing much has changed at BC's General Store, which is jam-packed with oddities such as a stuffed squirrel wearing a straw hat holding a sign that says "Buy BBQ!" and rusted license plates that clutter the walls of what used to be the old Yalaha post office.

The unusual décor includes dusty pictures, empty beer bottles and straw hats, but it's the smoky, tantalizing aroma of the Memphis-style barbecue that keeps people coming back to the store on County Road 48 in rural Lake County.

But not for much longer.

Owner Betty Crenshaw is closing the iconic roadside barbecue joint about 40 miles from Orlando on May 31. She said that after 32 years of cooking barbecue she wants to retire and "go home and put my feet up." The 71-year-old retired teacher, who sits in a rocking chair in front of the entrance greeting visitors by name, said some of her customers "hate me" for closing, but most understand.

"You didn't have the gall to tell me in person?" joked longtime customer Don Peden, who drives from Leesburg twice a week for a barbecue sandwich. Crenshaw smiled and replied, "I didn't want to see a grown man cry." I didn't want to cry with you."

A white bathtub stands in the middle of the store along with other trinkets such as a plastic pig statue with changeable holiday-themed clothing and a small model a friend made of the store. The bathtub, Crenshaw said, was used to hold clothes that neighbors donated to the less fortunate.

Many of the peculiar items were donated by customers, said Suzanne Gorman, 60, who has worked at the store for 23 years and lives with Crenshaw.

"A lot of people just thought this store needed remembrance of them," Gorman said. "They wanted to leave their little license plate or their little something."

After moving to Yalaha from Tennessee — "the barbecue capital of the world" — in 1961, Crenshaw said she couldn't find barbecue that rivaled the Memphis-style meat she grew up with.

"In Tennessee, you're brought up on barbecue," she said. "That's part of your staples. You got to eat it at least once a week."

And she still does, usually on Saturday night. But she said she would "have to kill you" before sharing her sauce recipe.

"Memphis is known for a red sauce on a barbecue sandwich," said longtime customer Sissie Zollinger, a retired Tavares High School teacher. A friend of Crenshaw's from then-Memphis State University, Zollinger described the sauce as a mixture of tangy and sweet. "When I first moved to Florida, for probably 20 years, I couldn't find a good barbecue sandwich."

Every time she drives from Leesburg to BC's for a pulled-pork sandwich covered in slaw, Zollinger said she frequently bumps into old friends. She reminisces with Crenshaw about when they formed a ukulele group in college.

"When this store closes, there's going to be a chunk of old Florida gone," said Zollinger, who pointed out a Memphis Brown beer bottle that she donated and sits on a shelf near the register. "It's a piece of history."

But for another couple of weeks Crenshaw will keep serving her menu featuring chicken, pulled pork and ribs, along with barbecue beans and coleslaw. She uses charcoal instead of wood to cook her meat in three grills outside the store.

"We've kept it simple," said Crenshaw, who reflected that meeting people from across the country and around the world has been the best part of running BC's. Notable visitors have included members of The Platters, Lee Greenwood and Travis Tritt. She has a special place in her heart for the regulars.

"To me, this has been their store," said Crenshaw, who used to sell tools and groceries but has transitioned to barbecue only. "Some of them didn't have cars, so they could walk over here when they wanted."

BC's usually is open Wednesday to Saturday, but a sign out front notifies customers that they sometimes close when they are "sold out or gone fishin'."

After locking up for the last time, Crenshaw said she looks forward to staying in Yalaha and spending her retirement fishing on Lake Harris. She is selling BC's quirky contents. Numerous customers have rummaged through Crenshaw's treasures and purchased their finds.

Crenshaw won't miss quirky clutter. She said she will miss the camaraderie the most.